Assembly system

Abstract

An assembly system includes a positioning unit adapted to clamp and position a cable, a supply unit adapted to supply a connector, and an insertion unit adapted to insert an end of the cable into the connector by moving the connector. The supply unit includes a conveyor belt having a side to which ends of a plurality of connectors in a row of connectors are connected, a cutting device configured to cut each connector of the row of connectors from the conveyor belt, and a conveyor configured to move the conveyor belt, so as to move the connectors individually to the cutting device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An assembly system, comprising:
 a positioning unit configured to clamp and position a cable; 
 a supply unit including a conveyor belt having a side to which ends of a plurality of connectors in a row of connectors are connected, a cutting device configured to cut each connector of the row of connectors from the conveyor belt, and a conveyor configured to move the conveyor belt, so as to move the connectors to the cutting device; and 
 an insertion unit configured to insert an end of the cable into one of the connectors by moving the one connector, including:
 a gripper configured to grip the one connector cut from the conveyor belt; 
 an insertion device configured to move the gripper in a horizontal direction parallel to an axis of the cable for inserting the end of the cable into the one connector, the gripper installed on the insertion device; 
 a first mounting base on which the insertion device is movable in a first direction; and 
 a second mounting base on which the first mounting base is movable in a second direction, distinct from the first direction. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning unit includes a fixing fixture configured to clamp and fix the cable. 
     
     
       3. The assembly system of  claim 2 , wherein the positioning unit includes a straightening fixture configured to straighten the end of the cable. 
     
     
       4. The assembly system of  claim 3 , wherein the positioning unit includes a sensor installed on the fixing fixture for detecting whether the cable is placed in the fixing fixture, the fixing fixture is controlled to automatically close to clamp the cable when the sensor detects that the cable is placed in the fixing fixture. 
     
     
       5. The assembly system of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor includes a gear disk and a driving device configured to drive the gear disk to rotate. 
     
     
       6. The assembly system of  claim 5 , wherein a row of positioning holes are formed on the conveyor belt, a plurality of gear teeth on the gear disk are configured to mesh with the positioning holes on the conveyor belt so that the conveyor belt is pushed to move by rotating the gear disk. 
     
     
       7. The assembly system of  claim 6 , wherein the conveyor is configured to drive the conveyor belt to move in a horizontal direction perpendicular to an axis of the cable fixed on the positioning unit. 
     
     
       8. The assembly system of  claim 1 , wherein the supply unit includes a waste recovery box disposed under the cutting device and configured to recover waste generated during cutting. 
     
     
       9. The assembly system of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion unit includes a force sensor installed on the insertion device and configured to detect an insertion force of inserting the cable. 
     
     
       10. The assembly system of  claim 9 , wherein the insertion device is controlled to stop insertion when the insertion force detected by the force sensor is greater than a predetermined maximum insertion force or less than a predetermined minimum insertion force. 
     
     
       11. The assembly system of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting base includes a first mounting plate on which the insertion device is slidably mounted. 
     
     
       12. The assembly system of  claim 11 , wherein the insertion unit includes a cylinder fixed on the first mounting plate and connected with the insertion device, the cylinder is configured to drive the insertion device to move on the first mounting plate in the horizontal direction to adjust a position of the insertion device in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
       13. The assembly system of  claim 12 , wherein the second mounting base includes a second mounting plate on which the first mounting plate is slidably mounted. 
     
     
       14. The assembly system of  claim 13 , wherein the insertion unit includes a driving device fixed on the second mounting plate and configured to drive the first mounting plate to move in a vertical direction perpendicular to the axis of the cable to adjust the position of the insertion device in the vertical direction. 
     
     
       15. An assembly system, comprising:
 a positioning unit configured to clamp and position a cable; 
 a supply unit including a conveyor belt having a side to which ends of a plurality of connectors in a row of connectors are connected, a cutting device configured to cut each connector of the row of connectors from the conveyor belt, and a conveyor configured to move the conveyor belt, so as to move the connectors to the cutting device; and 
 an insertion unit configured to insert an end of the cable into one of the connectors by moving the one connector, including:
 a gripper mounted on a first platform for inserting the end of the cable into the one connector by moving the gripper; 
 a first actuator for moving the gripper in a horizontal direction parallel to an axis of the cable, the first actuator mounted on the first platform; and 
 a second actuator for moving the first platform in a vertical direction. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The assembly system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second platform on which the first platform is slidably mounted. 
     
     
       17. The assembly system of  claim 16 , wherein the second actuator is fixed on the second mounting platform and configured to drive the first mounting platform to move in a vertical direction perpendicular to the axis of the cable to adjust the position of the insertion device in the vertical direction. 
     
     
       18. An assembly system, comprising:
 a positioning unit including a fixture configured to clamp and position a cable; 
 a supply unit including a conveyor belt having a side to which ends of a plurality of connectors in a row of connectors are connected, a cutting device configured to cut each connector of the row of connectors from the conveyor belt, and a conveyor configured to move the conveyor belt so as to move the connectors to the cutting device, the conveyor belt moving in a direction generally normal to an axis of the cable clamped in the fixture; and 
 an insertion unit configured to insert an end of the cable into one of the connectors by moving the one connector, the insertion unit arranged on a side of the conveyor belt opposite the positioning unit, the insertion unit comprising:
 a gripper configured to grip the one connector cut from the conveyor belt; and 
 an insertion device configured to move the gripper for installing the connector over the cable, the insertion device configured to move the gripper in a horizontal direction parallel to an axis of the cable, the gripper is installed on the insertion device, the insertion device is configured to insert the end of the cable into the one connector by moving the gripper.